Animated display placard



Nov. 10, 1953 J. G. FERRIER 2,658,304

ANIMATED DISPLAY PLACARD Filed May 14, 1951 3 Sheets- -Sheet 1 Joseph 6. Farrier IN VEN TOR.

Nov. 10, 1953 J. G. FERRIER 2,658,304

ANIMATED DISPLAY PLACARD Filed May 14, 1951 3 Sheets-She'et 2 Fig. 3

Joseph 6- F err/er I INVENTOR.

1953 J. G. FERRIER ANIMATED DISPLAY PLACARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 14, 1951 Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Joseph 6- Farrier mmvrox.

Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to an aminated display placard for use in assisting lecturers in colleges and other forums, and more particularly in assisting television news commentators and analysts.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a display placard that can be manually operated to impart a jerky, in and out, as well as oscillatory movement to radial members which have indicia thereon cooperating with indicia on the placard to produce a unitary configuration which simulates movement.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described which is relatively simple in design and construction, easy to operate, inexpensive, and which includes a novel manually operable means for imparting a somewhat jerky, in and out and oscillatory movement to radial members associated with a particular configuration.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proseeds, are attained by the device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the devlce;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevational view of the device showing only the radial members and a portion of the operating tab;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged rear elevational view of the device showing only the radial members and the operating tab, and further illustrating the type of movement obtained;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary group perspective view of the means pivotally securing the operating tab to the radial members;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of a modification of the device; and

Figure 6 is a front elevational view of another modification of the device.

Specific reference will now be made to the drawings. In the several views, in the accompanying drawings and in the following specification, similar reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

Indicated generally at H) is a placard, fabricated of cardboard or any similar material, which is appropriately supported vertically at its lower end upon a, suitable base member 12. Cut through the placard adjacent its upper edge I4 is a downwardly inclined slot IS which slidably receives an operating tao l8 which, as shown clearly in Figure 1, is of a width substantially less than the length of the slot it so that the tab is not only capable of vertical movement through the slot but also limited rotary movement.

Secured by any suitable means to the front face of the placard is a flat member out into a particular configuration and having particular indicia and forms thereon. As illustrated, this configuration is that of a horse and, it will be understood, any other desired configuration may be employed. The configurated member 20 is secured at a central point to the placard so that the major portion thereof is actually spaced from the front face of the placard 10. A plurality of slots 22 are cut through the placard Iii beneath the configurated member 20 and are arranged to conform substantially to the curvature of the bottom edge 24 of the configurated member.

A plurality of radial members 26 are provided which extend slidably through theslots 22 and which are of a width somewhat less than the length of the slots so that the radial members are capable of both in and out and limited rotary movement in the slots. The radial members are configurated and provided with indicia so that they cooperate with the flat member 20 to produce a unitary picture to be displayed and, as shown in the drawings, these radial members are in the form of a horse's legs.

A means is provided for pivotally connecting the operating tab 18 to the radial members whereby a somewhat jerky, in and out and oscillatory movement may be imparted to the radial members. This means is accomplished by Overlapping the inner ends of the radial members 26, as clearly shown in Figure 4, and by extending a, pivot pin 28 through suitable apertures 30 in the overlapped portions of the radial members, the pivot pin extending also through an aperture 32 adjacent the lower inner end of the operating tab l8. While any type of pivot pin may be e ployed, it is preferred that the headed pin with the spreadable legs 34 be used to accomplish the result. As will be readily observed from Fig ure 4, the apertures 30 in the overlapped portions of the radial members 26 tightly receive the pivot pin 28, whereas the aperture 32 at the bottom of the operating tab 18 is of a diameter substantially larger than that of the pin.

In use, the tab [8 is'moved in and out of, the slot [6 as well as in an eccentric rotary motion, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, which causes the radial members 26 to move in and out of the slots 22 and also to assume an oscillatory motion. Because the aperture 32 is substantially larger in diameter than that of the pin 28, the peripheral edge of the aperture will strike the shank of the pin 28 at different points and will impart a slight jerky as well as oscillatory movement to the radial members so that the radial members will simulate the galloping legs of a horse.

In the modification in Figure 5, the principles of the invention are employed in a food basket display which can be used to pictorially represent the effect of certain governmental policies, such as price controls, credit controls, etc. on the household budget available for food purchases.

3 upper and lower slots 38 and 46 which slidably receive an operating tab 42.

Secured centrally by any suitable means on the placard is a placard 44 in the configuration of a food basket, the top and bottom edges of the basket being spaced from the placard 36. Adjacent the bottom edge of the basket, the placard 36 is provided with elongated, circumferentially spaced slots 46 which slidably receive radially extending arms 48 which are disposed on the rear side of the placard 36, overlap at their bottom ends and are pivoted to each other thereat and to the operating tab 42, as at 50. The upper portions of arms are disposed on the front side of the placard beneath the basket and are extended into enlarged portions 52 configurated to depict various food items as shown. It will be evident that vertical sliding movement of the operating tab 42 through the slots 38 and 46 will urge the arms 48 in and out of the slots 46 to change the relative positions of the conflgurated food items 52 in the basket 44.

In the modification of Figure 6, the principles of the invention are applied to a rocking ship. The placard 54 includes a vertical slot 56 adjacent one edge thereof and receives an operating tab 56 which is narrower than the slot and includes a portion 60 extending along the rear surface of the placard. A ship is placed on the placard and includes a hull 62 having a lower portion 64 received between the front surface of the placard and a further placard 66 secured, as at 66, to the placard 54. The upper edge of the placard 66 is a wavy line 16 simulating the surface of a body of water. A pair of radial arms 12 are provided which extend through angularly disposed slots 14 in the placard 54 behind the placard 66, the lower ends of the arms overlapping and being pivoted thereat as at 16 to the lower end of the operating tab. The arms are extended and configurated as at 16 to simulate ship masts and intermediate their ends the arms are loosely secured as by crossed strings 86 to the ships hull 62. Since the operating tab is capable of sliding in the slot '56 and also capable of slight rotary movement, and because the mast arms are loosely secured to the hull, an in-andout slight rotary movement of the tab will impart a rocking movement to the ship.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An animated display device comprising a placard having a configuration thereon, a plurality of spaced slots adjacent the configuration, an operating tab, a plurality of members extending radially from said tab and having indicia thereon in cooperation with the configuration to produce a unitary picture, each of said radially extending members extending slidably through one of said slots, an elongated slot adjacent one edge of said placard, said operating tab being of lesser width than said elongated slot and movable 0 Number through the latter, and means pivotally connecting the inner ends of said radially extending members to said tab whereby a combined sliding and rotary movement of said tab in said elongated slot will cause the radially extending members to move in and out of and oscillate in said spaced slots.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inner ends of said radially extending members overlap, said means including a pivot pin extend! ing through the overlapped ends and through an aperture provided in said tab.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the aperture provided in said tab is of a diameter larger than that of the pivot pin to impart slight firky oscillating movement to the radial mem- 4. An animated display device comprising a placard, a fiat member cut to a particular shape and having display indicia thereon mounted on said placard, a plurality of spaced slots in said placard beneath said flat member and arranged to conform to the contour of the lower edge of said flat member, an operating tab, a plurality of members extending radially from said tab and having indicia thereon in cooperation with the configuration to produce a unitary picture, each of said radially extending members extending slidably through one of said slots, an inclined slot adjacent the upper edge of said placard, said operating tab being of lesser width than said inclined slot and movable through the latter, and means pivotally connecting the inner ends of said radially extending members to said tab whereby a combined sliding and rotary movement of said tab in said inclined slot will cause the radially extending members to move in and out of and oscillate in said spaced slots.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the irmer ends of said radially extending members overlap, said means including a pivot pin extending through the overlapped ends and through an aperture provided in said tab.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the aperture provided in said tab is of a diameter larger than that of the pivot pin to impart slight jerky oscillating movement to the radially extending members.

7. An animated display device comprising a placard having a configuration on the front face thereof, a plurality of radial members having indicia thereon in cooperation with the configuration to produce a unitary picture, said placard having a plurality of spaced slots therein slidably receiving said radial members, said radial members being pivotally joined at their inner ends at the rear face of said placard, an operating tab having a portion pivotally secured to the inner ends of said radial members whereby movement of the tab will cause the radial members to slide in the spaced slots, said tab extending beyond the periphery of said placard and being in a plane substantially parallel to said placard.

JOSEPH G. FERRIER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Westphal June 16, 1908 Wehr Sept. 11, 1945 Wehr Sept. 11, 1945 Wehr Oct. 21, 1947 Simpson Dec. 19, 1950 

